Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Fantasy Fiction Tuesday: Princeless (2011)

The Damsel in Distress is an incredibly pervasive trope within fiction, with one of the most well-known version of this trope being a princess locked away in an incredibly tall tower that just so happens to be guarded by a ferocious dragon, waiting for a brave prince who is noble at heart to rescue here.

Princeless by Jeremy Whitley takes that common trope and subverts it in a fun and interesting way.

Princeless is the story of Adrienne, a 16 year old princess who hates the idea of being rescued by some prince and becoming his reward. After finding a sword underneath her bed, Adrienne decides to go on a quest with her guardian dragon Sparky to rescue her six sisters from their own towers and show that princesses can be heroes too.

While the story's critiques of the Damsel in Distress trope aren't very subtle, Princeless makes up for that with a sense of fun that keeps you engaged with the story and its characters. I love how independent, smart, and determined Adrienne is and I want to see her succeed and free all the other princesses.

Princeless' story is enhanced by Mia Goodwin's fantastic art. The cartoonish look and bright colors really helps the comic feel like a fairy tale that just so happens to have a subversive twist to it. Goodwin's art was a perfect fit for Princeless and after reading it, I can't really think of what it might look like without her work attached to it.

Princeless is a fun fantasy comic that presents a nice twist on a commonly used trope. If you're looking for something good to introduce children to the world of comics, Princeless would be an excellent choice. However, that doesn't mean adults won't find something to like here either. As a 21 year old man, I can say without a doubt that I love this comic. Anyone who loves good comics should give Princeless a read.